A major campaign has been launched to save a Whalley Range community centre from being sold.

The Nello James Centre, on Withington Road, was bought with funds donated by actress Vanessa Redgrave and bequeathed to the community in the early 1970s.

The centre, which was named in honour of Ms Redgrave’s good friend, the famous author and social activist C.L.R. James, was once a thriving community venue, but has stood empty for many years and has fallen into severe disrepair.

Now its trustees, The Walton Cottage Educational trust, have placed the centre on the market, but have been met by strong opposition from residents, who believe it belongs to the community and should not be sold.

The Friends of Nello James Centre have launched a campaign and petition to halt the sale and are calling for the site’s two buildings to be refurbished and brought back into use as a community venue.

Their long term aim is to establish a community run education centre for disadvantaged young people, a black history library, food bank, soup kitchen and community arts resource.

Campaigner Blue Matthews-Mason said: “This venue holds fond memories for many in the area and is being sold without any public consultation and this is causing much distress and consternation in the community, given its charitable origins.”

The trustees however, say the centre does not belong to the community and released a statement explaining that it has been placed on the dangerous buildings list by the council.

The centre was bought with funds donated by actress Vanessa Redgrave

They state that due to its current condition, it has been ‘impossible’ to raise the funds to refurbish it and selling is the only option.

The statement said: “When the sale is completed, the proceeds will be held by the trust’s appointed solicitors and will be reinvested strictly in accordance with the charitable objectives of the trust.

“The ideal goal would be to use the proceeds of sale to purchase another building which does not require complete reconstruction or refurbishment and which will be suitable for the trust’s purposes.”

Campaigners are planning to hold a peaceful protest at the site this Friday at 3pm.

A link to their petition can be found on their Facebook page Save Nello James.